Q: What is the prime factorization of the number 2,620,736?

 A:
  • The prime factors are: 2 x 2 x 2 x 2 x 2 x 2 x 40,949
    • or also written as { 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 40,949 }
  • Written in exponential form: 26 x 40,9491

Why is the prime factorization of 2,620,736 written as 26 x 40,9491?

What is prime factorization?

Prime factorization or prime factor decomposition is the process of finding which prime numbers can be multiplied together to make the original number.

Finding the prime factors of 2,620,736

To find the prime factors, you start by dividing the number by the first prime number, which is 2. If there is not a remainder, meaning you can divide evenly, then 2 is a factor of the number. Continue dividing by 2 until you cannot divide evenly anymore. Write down how many 2's you were able to divide by evenly. Now try dividing by the next prime factor, which is 3. The goal is to get to a quotient of 1.

If it doesn't make sense yet, let's try it...

Here are the first several prime factors: 2, 3, 5, 7, 11, 13, 17, 19, 23, 29...

Let's start by dividing 2,620,736 by 2

2,620,736 ÷ 2 = 1,310,368 - No remainder! 2 is one of the factors!
1,310,368 ÷ 2 = 655,184 - No remainder! 2 is one of the factors!
655,184 ÷ 2 = 327,592 - No remainder! 2 is one of the factors!
327,592 ÷ 2 = 163,796 - No remainder! 2 is one of the factors!
163,796 ÷ 2 = 81,898 - No remainder! 2 is one of the factors!
81,898 ÷ 2 = 40,949 - No remainder! 2 is one of the factors!
40,949 ÷ 2 = 20,474.5 - There is a remainder. We can't divide by 2 evenly anymore. Let's try the next prime number
40,949 ÷ 3 = 13,649.6667 - This has a remainder. 3 is not a factor.
40,949 ÷ 5 = 8,189.8 - This has a remainder. 5 is not a factor.
40,949 ÷ 7 = 5,849.8571 - This has a remainder. 7 is not a factor.
...
Keep trying increasingly larger numbers until you find one that divides evenly.
...
40,949 ÷ 40,949 = 1 - No remainder! 40,949 is one of the factors!

The orange divisor(s) above are the prime factors of the number 2,620,736. If we put all of it together we have the factors 2 x 2 x 2 x 2 x 2 x 2 x 40,949 = 2,620,736. It can also be written in exponential form as 26 x 40,9491.

Factor Tree

Another way to do prime factorization is to use a factor tree. Below is a factor tree for the number 2,620,736.

2,620,736
Factor Arrows
21,310,368
Factor Arrows
2655,184
Factor Arrows
2327,592
Factor Arrows
2163,796
Factor Arrows
281,898
Factor Arrows
240,949

More Prime Factorization Examples

2,620,7342,620,7352,620,7372,620,738
21 x 31 x 5771 x 757151 x 131 x 231 x 1,753132 x 71 x 171 x 2,447121 x 1,310,3691

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